SAGINAW TOWNSHIP, MI — Saginaw Township Community Schools Superintendent Douglas Trombley says the district has taken a proactive approach to school security for years.

“The Saginaw Intermediate School District contracts with Tom Mynsberge from Critical Incident Management to facilitate our incident management plans, and to train our staff, and to work with emergency response in our community and provide us guidance when there is an emergency of some sort,” Trombley said. “This has been ongoing for a number of years. We’re trying to be proactive, and I think as an area we are perhaps further ahead than some school districts, due to the fact that we have that communitywide involvement."

Trombley thanked the community, noting that a bond issue has allowed Saginaw Township Community Schools to install secure entrances. At all of the schools, he said, visitors must be buzzed in and check in at the office.

“Once the school day begins and we go into the secure part of the school day, which means parents aren’t dropping students off and students aren’t entering, the entrances are all locked at that point in time," he said. “There are a lot of schools and school districts that have basically open doors, and they don’t have that secure environment that we are fortunate enough to have here in Saginaw Township.”

Trombley said school staff members are trained on procedures for locking down individual classrooms, and the schools go through a series of drills, including for fire, tornado and lockdown, throughout the school year.

Trombley said school administrators want to "provide the securest environment possible," and he encouraged students who have concerns to come forward.

“As with any concern or if they hear something, please report it,” he said. “So that it can be, things can be investigated, and ... decisions can be made from that information."

When asked whether Saginaw Township Community Schools would see any changes as a direct result of the school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, Trombley replied, “we’re just going to be extra cautious and extra vigilant. Any time a tragedy happens like this, it heightens our sense of awareness and serves as a reminder that we do need to be prepared and cautious.”

Trombley also sought to reassure students and their families.

“Even in light of the tragedy, senseless tragedy, schools are still some of the safest places to be, and we’d like students to know that, and parents.”

Heather Jordan can be reached at 989-450-2652 or heather_jordan@mlive.com. Follow @HeatherLJordan on Twitter and Facebook.